This species is the North American representative of a rare and endangered mayfly family worldwide. It has a rather short and synchronous adult lifespan of only 5 minutes to 2 hours. The females display color polymorphism, where a light-bodied form lays eggs on site as soon as mated and dies within 5 to 15 minutes, while a dark-bodied form leaves the emergence site after mating and disperses to other locations where it can live up to 2 hours. This species is also unique for having exceptionally large eggs that require nearly a year to develop after they are deposited. The immature stages are predacious on other aquatic arthropods. Because this interesting insect has a limited range, it is very sensitive to environmental changes. Photograph by Robert Noonan.
American sand-burrowing mayfly Dolania americana Edmunds & Traver (Ephemeroptera: Behningiidae)
Habitat: Clean, undisturbed sand rivers
Florida range: Western Florida Panhandle with one record from Suwannee River
Nymphal microhabitat: Burrowing in clean sand where it feeds on immature sand midges and other small organisms.
Flight: One generation per year, late April through middle of May depending on water temperature. Emerges before dawn, flies, mates, lays eggs, and dies before sunrise on same day
Occurrence: Rare
Link for more information: hhttp://www.famu.edu/acad/research/mayfly/publications/pubmdh1994p161.html
Florida Arthropod Conservation